In 1714, King George and Parliament offered a huge reward worth 20,000 pounds to anyone who could solve the longitude problem in a reliable way. All kinds of people like seamen, scientists, astronomers and mathematicians joined the race in solving the longitude problem. John Harrison was a quiet, hardworking clock-maker who believed he had found an enduring solution. Yet he gets only half the promised reward due to political plot and greed. It's a short and entertaining history of the development of a sea-worthy clock, known today as the chronometer which can be used to calculate longitude. Read it for a surprising tale of battling scientists and Harrison's forty-year hard work, determination and brilliance.
